Spider-web-light-ray control device



E@ E IEEE www@ C. E. MENTER SPIDER WEB LIGHT RAY GONTROL DEVICE Filed Sept. 27., 1921 Patented .lune 3, 1924;.

UNiTED STATES CLAUDE E. MENTZER,

1,496,092 PATENT OFFICE.

OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

SPIDER-WEB-LIGHT-RAY CONTROL DEVICE.

Application filed September 27, 1921. Serial No. 503,558.

the country, laws have been passed requiring lamps on automobiles to be so arranged that the rays are directed downwardly and forwardly.

It is my ob]ect to provide a device. which can be made at a very low price and of extremely vsimple Construction, whereby the proper deflection ot' the light rays can be accurately and properly secured.

Still another object is to provide a series of strips curved from end to end so as to form an incomplete circle, the strips being inclined from front to rear, so that the light rays will be .restricted and shot downwardly when passing between the strips.

Still another object is to provide almeans for securing a number of strips together for holding the-1n in proper position rela-tive to each other, and means for securing the assembled strips into the'lamp housing in such a manner, as the strips will be slightly inclined from front to rear.

Wit-h these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction,'arrangement and combination of the various pa-rtsof my device.` whereby the objects contemplated are attained. as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: -Figure 1 is a central, sectional View taken through a lamp housing with a device embodying my invention installed therein; and Figure 2 is an enla-rged, detail, sectional view,` showing the spring: clip for holding the strips'inclined from front to rear.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generallyl a lamp housing or casing, which is provided with al reflector 11. A lamp bulb 12 is provided in the ordinary manner.

An annular band or ring 13, having a tlange 13 thereon is provided. "The ring 13 engages the edgeof the lamp housing 10. lens 14 is received on the inside of the ring 13 and rests against the iian'ge 13a.

ln orderto securely hold my improved light` detlector in proper position, I provide a ring 15 preferably made of stili' wire. The ring 15 is received between the lensv 11 and the edge ofthe reiiector 11, as clearly` illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings.

A number of wires 17 have their ends se cured to the ringl equi-distant from each other-in thev manner hereil'iafter described j and have their centers crossing each other.

Received on. the wires 1T are a series vof spaced Ystrips 18. 19. 20, 21, .22, 23 and 24, which are preferably made of non-reflecting material; The strips `inst. mentioned are arranged. so thatA the'strip'1S is the shortest and each offthe strips gradually increase in length, soxthat thestrip 24 is the longest. The stripsialso'vary in width. The strip' 18,` which 'is the inner one, is the widest, Y

while thestrip 24, the outer one, is rowest.

The, strips are curved from end to end and have their ends spaced apa-rt. so that each strip forms an incomplete circle.

When all of the strips are mounted on the wires 17,A then an open portion is left between a. pair of the wires 17. Then three wires are used, which divides the circle or area contained within the ring 15 into six parts, then one-sixth of the area is left open. the purposeof which will be hereafter more fully set forth. I

`The strips 18 to 24 inclusive are inclined downwardly fromrear to front. as shown in Figure 1. In order to accomplish this. I

the narprovide a spring clip 29, which is extended around the `ring 15 and which is provided with an inwardly, extending portion 30, having a hook 31 formed on its end. Instead of securing the lower ends of the wires 17 to the band 15, I secure them to the hooks lun 31, whichcauses the'wires to be inclined or set at an angle. The mounting of thefstrips on the wires so arranged causes them to be inclined as mentioned.

Any. rays of light from the lamp bulb 12, whichv are shot forwardly against the reflector 11, are then shot forwardly through the-open surface formed through the open upper portion, which is left, due to the strips ,forming an incomplete circle.

Any of the rays of light, which would or.

dinarily be shot forwardly or up into the air from the lower part of the reflector, are

` now shot against the under surface of the strips of nonreliecting material, thus preventing any rays from being shot upwardly. The rays of light, directed downwardly,l are permitted to pass forwardly and down- Wardly upon the road, as desired.

It will be seen that the strips of material restrict the undesired rays of light'and yet permit all the light, which ordinarily goes upon the road to be projected on the road.

. I have shown the strips having their forward ends doubled, so as to form a reinforcement. u 4 i The advantageof my device is that I am able to readily and easily install the light delector and that it may be received between the lens and the reflector of the light. This makes it possible to install my invention upon many of the lightsnow in use, without any .rearrangement thereof.

Another advantage resides in the fact that allof the light rays from the upper portion of the lamp are shot directly forwardly, while the light rays, which ordinarily are shot upwardly are restricted by the series of strips, thatI use, and all the lighty rays, which are shot directly forwardly from the lower half'ot the reflector are permitted to pass between the strips without Iany inter ference. y l

Some changes may be made in the arrangement and construction of the various parts of my ,improved device, without departing from the essential features and purposes of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claim, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably.included within its scope. I claim as my invention: In a light ray directing device, a series of curved strips bent to form partial cylinders arranged concentrieally with the cylinders successively shorter from the inner to the outer one, radially arranged wires on which said strips are mounted, an annular band, onel wire being pivoted to part of said band and spring clips connected with said 4wires for supporting them on said band with the strips tilted from the horizontal, substantially as shown.

Des Moines, Iowa, September 19, 1921.' CLAUDE E. MENTZER. 

